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State of Connecticut Labor Situation | Last Updated: March 8, 2024 |
Connecticut gains 7,400 payroll jobs in January as state jobless rate rises 0.2% to 4.4% |
WETHERSFIELD, March 8, 2024 - Connecticut payroll jobs increased 7,400 (0.4%) in January 2024 to a level of 1,703,200, while the state's jobless rate increased two-tenths of a percent to 4.4% (preliminary, seasonally adjusted data). Statewide nonfarm industry employment is 11,200 (0.7%) positions higher than January 2023 levels and is at a new post-COVID employment high. The state has now recovered 101.6% (295,700) of the 291,100 nonagricultural jobs lost during the March-April 2020 COVID lockdown. The preliminary December 2023 job loss of 2,500 positions was revised lower by 1,400 jobs to a 3,900 loss. January 2024 exhibited a reacceleration of job gains. Connecticut's January 2024 unemployment rate was higher by two tenths of a percentage point to 4.4%. This is eight-tenths of a percentage point rate higher than a year ago (3.6%). This release includes labor statistics from two different monthly surveys (residential and business) produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in cooperation with the States and incorporates the most recent benchmark revisions and annual processing from the last year. See pages 3 and 4 for notes on the annual Connecticut labor statistic revisions.
"Annual benchmark revisions left the December 2023 employment level unchanged, although the pattern of job change in prior months was revised," said Patrick Flaherty, Director of the Office of Research at the Connecticut Department of Labor. "January's job gains show Connecticut is off to a good start this year. The rise in the unemployment rate has been accompanied by labor force expansion as new labor force entrants look for work. Total payroll jobs are at their highest level since August 2008 with the private sector at an all-time high." | |||
Nonfarm Jobs Detail (business establishment survey) | |
Connecticut's Private Sector employment increased 6,600 (0.5%) positions in January 2024 to 1,469,100 and stands higher by 7,600 jobs (0.5%) from the January 2023 level. The state's Private Sector remains fully recovered (102.9%) from the April 2020 COVID employment lockdown trough. December's preliminary Private Sector job decline of 2,900 (-0.2%) was revised lower by 1,200 jobs to a -4,100 (-0.3%) jobs loss. The Government supersector increased by 800 jobs (0.3%) in January to a level of 234,100 jobs, 3,600 positions higher than year-ago levels. The public sector is now 86.9% recovered from the overall COVID April 2020 employment low point. The December 2023 Government gain of 400 was revised lower by 200 to +200. Connecticut's total Government supersector comprises all civilian federal, state, local, and tribal government employment, including public education and Native American casino jobs located on federally recognized tribal reservations.
Six of the ten major industry supersectors increased jobs in January 2024, and three declined, while the information supersector was unchanged. The seven industry supersectors that increased employment or were unchanged in January 2024 included:
The three industry supersectors that decreased jobs in January 2024 were:
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Connecticut Labor Market Areas (LMAs): Four of the six major Connecticut LMAs that are seasonally adjusted by the BLS had nonfarm employment increases in January 2024, while two had job declines. The largest Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford LMA (0.3%, 581,800) added 1,700 jobs. The Norwich-New London-Westerly LMA (0.7%, 127,400) and the New Haven LMA (0.3%, 303,500) both gained 900 positions while the Waterbury LMA (0.3%, 66,900) increased 200 positions. The Danbury LMA (-0.5%, 77,600) was lower by 400 and the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk LMA ( 0.1%, 406,600) decreased 300 jobs.
Note: Six major Connecticut LMAs are estimated independently from the statewide data by the BLS and cover more than 90% of the nonfarm employment in the state. Thus, estimates will not fully sum to the statewide total. |
Hours and Earnings: The January 2024 Private Sector workweek, not seasonally adjusted, averaged 33.3 hours. This is down two-tenths of an hour from the January 2023 average of 33.5 hours. Average hourly earnings at $37.19 in January 2024, not seasonally adjusted, were up by $1.19 (3.3%) from the January 2023 estimate of $36.00. The resulting January 2024 Private Sector weekly wage averaged $1,238.43, higher by $32.43 (2.7%) from a year ago. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Information for the manufacturing production workweek and earnings can be found in the table section of this release under the "Hours and Earnings" data category. Current all-employee private sector hours and earnings estimates can be volatile due to fluctuating sample responses. |
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.2 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter continued to rise in January, increasing 0.6 percent and contributing over two thirds of the monthly all items increase. The food index increased 0.4 percent in January, as the food at home index increased 0.4 percent and the food away from home index rose 0.5 percent over the month. In contrast, the energy index fell 0.9 percent over the month due in large part to the decline in the gasoline index. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4 percent in January. Indexes which increased in January include shelter, motor vehicle insurance, and medical care. The index for used cars and trucks and the index for apparel were among those that decreased over the month. The all items index rose 3.1 percent for the 12 months ending January, a smaller increase than the 3.4-percent increase for the 12 months ending December. The all items less food and energy index rose 3.9 percent over the last 12 months, the same increase as for the 12 months ending December. The energy index decreased 4.6 percent for the 12 months ending January, while the food index increased 2.6 percent over the last year. | |
State of Connecticut Unemployment Rate vs. United States Unemployment Rate |
The preliminary January 2024 unemployment rate for Connecticut was estimated by the BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics program (LAUS) to be 4.4% (seasonally adjusted). This is higher by two-tenths of a percentage point over the month and is higher by eight-tenths of one percent compared to the January 2023 level of 3.6% after annual processing. The U.S. unemployment rate for January 2024 was 3.7%, unchanged from the December 2023 rate of 3.7% but is higher over the year from the U.S. jobless rate of 3.4% in January 2024. | |
Month | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. | CT | U.S. |
Jan | 6.0 | 5.7 | -0.3 | 5.2 | 4.8 | -0.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 0.1 | 4.2 | 4.0 | -0.2 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -0.2 | 7.1 | 6.4 | -0.7 | 4.9 | 4.0 | -0.9 | 3.6 | 3.4 | -0.2 | 4.4 | 3.7 | -0.7 |
Feb | 5.9 | 5.5 | -0.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 | -0.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 0.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 3.8 | 3.5 | -0.3 | 7.1 | 6.2 | -0.9 | 4.6 | 3.8 | -0.8 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 0.1 | |||
Mar | 5.8 | 5.4 | -0.4 | 5.1 | 5.0 | -0.1 | 4.5 | 4.4 | -0.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | -0.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 7.0 | 6.1 | -0.9 | 4.4 | 3.6 | -0.8 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 0.1 | |||
Apr | 5.8 | 5.4 | -0.4 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 0.1 | 4.5 | 4.4 | -0.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 8.3 | 14.9 | 6.6 | 7.1 | 6.1 | -1.0 | 4.3 | 3.7 | -0.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 0.1 | |||
May | 5.7 | 5.6 | -0.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 | -0.1 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | -0.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 1.5 | 6.9 | 5.8 | -1.1 | 4.1 | 3.6 | -0.5 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 0.4 | |||
Jun | 5.6 | 5.3 | -0.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | -0.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 11.5 | 11.0 | -0.5 | 6.8 | 5.9 | -0.9 | 4.0 | 3.6 | -0.4 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 0.2 | |||
Jul | 5.6 | 5.2 | -0.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | -0.1 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 11.7 | 10.2 | -1.5 | 6.5 | 5.4 | -1.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 | -0.4 | 3.6 | 3.5 | -0.1 | |||
Aug | 5.5 | 5.1 | -0.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 9.6 | 8.4 | -1.2 | 6.2 | 5.1 | -1.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -0.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 | |||
Sep | 5.4 | 5.0 | -0.4 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 0.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | -0.1 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | -0.1 | 8.8 | 7.8 | -1.0 | 5.9 | 4.7 | -1.2 | 3.8 | 3.5 | -0.3 | 4.0 | 3.8 | -0.2 | |||
Oct | 5.4 | 5.0 | -0.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | -0.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 7.9 | 6.8 | -1.1 | 5.6 | 4.5 | -1.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -0.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | -0.4 | |||
Nov | 5.4 | 5.1 | -0.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 0.1 | 4.3 | 4.2 | -0.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -0.1 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -0.8 | 5.3 | 4.1 | -1.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -0.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | -0.5 | |||
Dec | 5.3 | 5.0 | -0.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 0.1 | 4.3 | 4.1 | -0.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -0.1 | 7.4 | 6.7 | -0.7 | 5.1 | 3.9 | -1.2 | 3.7 | 3.5 | -0.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | -0.5 |
The nonfarm employment estimate, derived from a survey of businesses, is a measure of jobs in the state; the unemployment rate and labor force estimates are based on a household survey, and measure the work status of people who live in Connecticut. Overall, as the national and state economies recover, volatility in monthly numbers can be expected. Job and employment estimates are best understood in the context of their movement over several months rather than observed changes in a single month's value. |
Labor Force / Residents Employed / Residents Unemployed |
Average weekly initial unemployment claims for first-time filers (AWIC) in Connecticut in January 2024 were 4,239, not seasonally adjusted. This is 975 (-18.7%) claims (not seasonally adjusted) lower than December 2023, and just 24 (0.6%) claims (not seasonally adjusted) higher than January 2023. | |
Month | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
Labor Force |
Resident Emp. |
Resident Unemp. |
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Jan | 1,908.3 | 1,828.3 | 80.0 | 1,927.3 | 1,856.5 | 70.8 | 1,936.8 | 1,863.4 | 73.4 | 1,805.1 | 1,676.0 | 129.0 | 1,942.9 | 1,848.6 | 94.4 | 1,886.3 | 1,818.6 | 67.7 | 1,902.4 | 1,819.4 | 82.9 |
Feb | 1,910.7 | 1,831.8 | 78.9 | 1,926.6 | 1,856.8 | 69.8 | 1,931.1 | 1,856.8 | 74.3 | 1,801.7 | 1,673.9 | 127.8 | 1,938.6 | 1,849.5 | 89.2 | 1,886.4 | 1,820.5 | 65.8 | |||
Mar | 1,914.5 | 1,836.7 | 77.7 | 1,925.8 | 1,857.2 | 68.6 | 1,924.5 | 1,849.6 | 74.9 | 1,800.0 | 1,673.3 | 126.8 | 1,933.8 | 1,849.1 | 84.7 | 1,887.1 | 1,822.9 | 64.2 | |||
Apr | 1,918.6 | 1,842.2 | 76.5 | 1,925.7 | 1,858.0 | 67.7 | 1,828.7 | 1,676.7 | 151.9 | 1,801.0 | 1,673.6 | 127.4 | 1,929.3 | 1,847.1 | 82.3 | 1,888.3 | 1,825.0 | 63.2 | |||
May | 1,922.2 | 1,846.9 | 75.3 | 1,926.7 | 1,859.5 | 67.2 | 1,901.8 | 1,676.9 | 224.9 | 1,798.9 | 1,674.8 | 124.1 | 1,923.0 | 1,843.2 | 79.8 | 1,889.8 | 1,826.6 | 63.2 | |||
Jun | 1,924.9 | 1,850.7 | 74.2 | 1,928.9 | 1,861.6 | 67.3 | 1,893.1 | 1,675.9 | 217.3 | 1,821.1 | 1,696.8 | 124.3 | 1,914.8 | 1,837.8 | 77.1 | 1,892.0 | 1,827.5 | 64.5 | |||
Jul | 1,926.8 | 1,853.6 | 73.2 | 1,931.7 | 1,863.6 | 68.1 | 1,901.5 | 1,679.8 | 221.6 | 1,837.5 | 1,717.7 | 119.9 | 1,905.6 | 1,831.3 | 74.3 | 1,894.5 | 1,827.1 | 67.4 | |||
Aug | 1,928.5 | 1,856.0 | 72.5 | 1,934.6 | 1,865.5 | 69.1 | 1,859.8 | 1,681.9 | 178.0 | 1,854.9 | 1,739.0 | 115.9 | 1,896.6 | 1,825.4 | 71.2 | 1,896.8 | 1,825.1 | 71.6 | |||
Sep | 1,930.0 | 1,857.9 | 72.1 | 1,937.4 | 1,867.5 | 69.9 | 1,848.0 | 1,685.1 | 162.9 | 1,870.3 | 1,759.9 | 110.4 | 1,892.9 | 1,820.9 | 71.9 | 1,898.6 | 1,822.5 | 76.1 | |||
Oct | 1,931.4 | 1,859.4 | 72.0 | 1,939.7 | 1,869.0 | 70.6 | 1,828.0 | 1,684.2 | 143.8 | 1,888.5 | 1,782.0 | 106.5 | 1,890.1 | 1,818.1 | 71.9 | 1,899.6 | 1,820.1 | 79.6 | |||
Nov | 1,932.6 | 1,860.8 | 71.9 | 1,941.0 | 1,869.5 | 71.5 | 1,819.1 | 1,682.3 | 136.8 | 1,905.5 | 1,804.1 | 101.4 | 1,888.1 | 1,817.0 | 71.1 | 1,899.5 | 1,819.2 | 80.3 | |||
Dec | 1,933.4 | 1,861.9 | 71.5 | 1,940.2 | 1,867.8 | 72.5 | 1,813.4 | 1,679.3 | 134.1 | 1,924.3 | 1,826.4 | 97.9 | 1,886.9 | 1,817.3 | 69.6 | 1,899.1 | 1,819.3 | 79.9 |
The nonfarm employment estimate, derived from a survey of businesses, is a measure of jobs in the state; the unemployment rate and labor force estimates are based on a household survey, and measure the work status of people who live in Connecticut. Overall, as the national and state economies recover, volatility in monthly numbers can be expected. Job and employment estimates are best understood in the context of their movement over several months rather than observed changes in a single month's value. |
Notes on Labor Data - Connecticut Labor Statistic Revisions, 2023 Benchmark Announcement
2023 Benchmark Revisions to Connecticut's Establishment Survey Data
| The workplace payroll survey data released today have been benchmarked to reflect more complete counts of nonfarm industry employment in the state. This annual procedure replaces the preliminary monthly not seasonally adjusted employment sample estimates with actual census job counts derived from unemployment insurance (UI) tax records through March 2023 - considered the official benchmark month. Preliminary second- and third-quarter monthly UI tax records also replace the sampled job estimates through September 2023. The industry survey data are then re-estimated monthly from October 2023 to December 2023 with better collected random probability samples from the preliminarily benchmarked September 2023 levels to bring the state nonfarm employment time series up to date.
Monthly seasonally adjusted (SA) data from January 2019 forward (5 years back) are also subject to revision due to varying concurrent seasonal components in the seasonal adjustment (SA) factor process. COVID pandemic lockdown measures, ever-changing demographics, and shifting weather dynamics have developed that have influenced monthly employment seasonality over the recent years. These seasonal factors get re formulated and updated statistically to the present as well. Seasonally adjusted (SA) data allows us to better compare all months of the year. We compare data on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis in the Connecticut Labor Situation, unless otherwise noted. Connecticut's total nonfarm employment level for March 2023 (the official benchmark month) was revised upward by 4,900 jobs from the initially published estimate of 1,685,300 to 1,690,200, or +0.3% seasonally adjusted SA (+3,300 unadjusted, +0.2%). Going forward from March 2023, the monthly benchmark revision changes to Connecticut's December 2023 seasonally adjusted (SA) total nonfarm employment monthly levels were zero. Therefore, the Connecticut seasonally adjusted (SA) level for total nonfarm employment on the new benchmark was left unchanged for December 2023 at 1,695,800 SA (+200 unadjusted, 0.0%). Some of the underestimation in March 2023 (+4,900, SA) was related to apparent undercounting due to the warm winter last year. With the release of January 2024 newly benchmarked nonfarm employment level at 1,703,200 (SA), Connecticut has now recovered 295,700 or 101.6% of the payroll jobs lost in the COVID lockdown (March-April 2020, -291,100) and is at a post-COVID employment high point (chart below). |
Upcoming Changes to Current Employment Statistics (CES) Data |
Effective with the release of January 2024 estimates on March 08, 2024, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program will implement a new weight-smoothing procedure for state and metropolitan area employment data. Background information on the new weight-smoothing procedure is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/osmr/research-papers/2014/pdf/st140140.pdf. | Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) 2023 Annual Processing |
As is done each year, the whole history of statewide Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) was revised from 1976 to 2023. Detailed information describing this change is available at https://www.bls.gov/lau/gen-5-changes-in-2021.htm. On an annual average basis, the revised Connecticut unemployment rate fell from 4.1% in 2022 to 3.8% in 2023, although it ended the year higher than the 2022 average (chart below).
All revised nonfarm employment and unemployment data for Connecticut are available on Connecticut's Department of Labor's website under Labor Market Information www.ctworkforce.info. |
Next Connecticut Labor Situation release: Thursday, March 21, 2024 (February 2024, preliminary data) |
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